In The Not Too Distant Future
by starlight1228
Summary: After Kronos alters humanities timeline, four demigods are sent forward in time to end it.
1. Houston, We Have A Problem

It had been an ordinary day for Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase, Thalia and Rebecca Langston. Percy had been using his sword and shield, Annabeth her knife, she'd really started taking up knife throwing and was quite good at it. Thalia was showing their newest camper, Rebecca, how to use a spear. Chiron had galloped down the hill from the Big House to come and get them. Thalia looked up and frowned, Chiron never came down from the Big House himself, he always sent a camper to get them.

"You four, up in the Big House, now," Chiron said gruffly before galloping back up. Annabeth and Thalia exchanged a look before heading up, while Rebecca and Percy started up a conversation.

"Whaddya thinks goin' on?" Rebecca asked, her poofy, long wavy hair had come undone during the spear throws and was blowing around in the autumn wind.

"No idea, he always sends a camper," Percy said as they plodded up the hill. "I think we better pick up the pace, before Chiron gets to upset," Rebecca nodded and they jogged the rest of the way.

* * *

When they arrived they saw Dionysus and _Rachel _standing in the room. Annabeth looked at her suspiciously before Rachel burst out, sounding hysterical.

"So I was just sitting in my cave you know? And then I saw it!" she yelled and Chiron put his hand on her shoulders, tried calming her down. It took her a few minutes before she could speak normally again.

"I saw them, they put children in an arena to fight each other, to the _death__, _and only _one _can win!" she started crying again and Dionysus guided her out.

"What's she talkin' about and whats that got to do with us?" Rebecca asked, sounding scared. She had turned up at Camp Half-Blood a mere month before, bloody and nearly unconscious. Apparently she'd found her way here from somewhere in the South. She also hadn't been claimed by any Olympian, Percy had an inkling she was a Roman and here by mistake, but no Olympian had claimed her, yet.

"Kronos has altered the timeline for Earth," Chiron said simply, and no one spoke for a minute, not quite comprehending what he meant.

"_Altered _it?" Annabeth asked, "wouldn't that mean everything right now is about to change? If so, why hasn't that happened?"

"It's happening now, a nuclear exchange between Russia and America is going on, soon Mexico and Canada will be affected, the nuclear ash cloud is already blowing in from New York City, thank the gods for our barrier, but you must go _forward _in time to change it," Chiron said urgently.

"How will going _forward _help? Shouldn't we go back and _stop _Kronos _before _he changes the timeline?" Thalia asked, Percy remained silent, Chiron hadn't told them what they were getting into, making him nervous.

"Just _listen_! We don't have time for this! Look Kronos is too powerful, the fates of the universe will splinter off, this future will continue, just think the butterfly effect, anyway you must go forward in time and help them. All I can tell you is that you will each be sent into one of twelve districts to participate in the Hunger Games and protect Katniss and Peeta-"

"And how will we know who they are?" Percy asked.

"Just _listen _don't ask, Rebecca," Chiron said, turning to her, "I need you to focus on an aberration in Earths timeline, it'll be a country called Panem, now everyone grab hands, I know this will be confusing just, _focus_," Thalia, Percy, Annabeth and Rebecca joined hands, Rebeccas eyes squeezed shut in concentration.

"I'm _trying _I just-" then the room started spinning, not the light stuff from spinning around too much, but the kind that sends the ground swooping beneath your feet.

And then darkness.

* * *

**Rebecca is made up btw. And I haven't read PJO in awhile so please forgive me for any malfeasance.**


	2. Welcome To The Districts

**OH MY GOD I CAN WRITE ON MY IPOD I JSUT FOUND THAT OUT! WHY DIDN'T ANYONE TELL ME!**

* * *

**PERCYS POV**

**REAPING DAY**

* * *

Percy awoke with a splitting headache and people yelling.

"Nerissa, don't wake him!" he heard a motherly voice say, only it wasn't _his _mother! The memories of his last moments at Camp Half-Blood made him flop back into bed and moan. He looked around and took in his surroundings. From what he could tell, his room was about two times the size of the one in his moms apartment. He had a desk with some books and what he assumed to be schoolwork on it. There were three doors in his room, he assumed the two smaller ones led to a bathroom and a closet, with the larger one to the house. He assumed there was a window above his bed, because a weak light was filtering in. Soon a lively looking girl ran in and flipped the light switch so the light flooded in from the light bulb, whatever light that came in from his window was now lost in the brightness.

"Percy! Wake up! It's Reaping Day!" the girl, he assumed was Nerissa, singsonged as she tossed some clothes on his bed from his closet.

"Reaping?" Percy asked, Chiron may have told him not to ask, but he was not walking around clueless.

"Drawing names for the Hunger Games, you know," she said as she nosed through his schoolwork.

"Hey, Nerissa, can we watch last years Hunger Games?" he asked, maybe he would get the jist of things.

"I thought you'd never ask," she said, and gave him a peck on the lips, he blushed and she rolled her eyes.

"C'mon handsome, I'll let you choose," she pulled him up and led him down light wood stairs to an open area below. It was like your everyday suburban house with a nice kitchen, and a TV. There was a large cabinet full of tapes that were labelled things like 64 Finnick Odair or 50 Haymitch Abernathy. Percy wanted to ask what they meant but if they were labelled so vaguely, he should know what they meant.

"Hurry up! My trainer wants me in the gym _at _ten o'clock," Nerissa teased, and Percy felt guilty, Annabeth should be the girl to talk to him like this, not some stranger he'd never met before. But of course, he couldn't say that. He grabbed a random one that said _25 Nekane Werther. _"We've seen that one _so _many times!" Nerissa whined, but she didn't try and change his mind.

_"Let the Twenty-fifth Annual Hunger Games begin!" _a mans voice boomed through the house and Percy turned down the volume, but Nerissa stole the remote.

"Are you trying to ruin the experiment?" she teased, a smile widening on her red lips. He never realized how beautiful a blue-green her eyes were, they were shaped like almonds, or how beautifully chocolaty colored her hair was. He heard the sound of someone groaning in pain and his eyes flew to the screen. He couldn't believe his eyes. _Children _were being murdered by other _children, _the oldest couldn't have been more than nineteen! The youngest more than twelve! And Nerissa, who he assumed was his girlfriend, was snuggling in next to him! Percy could barely control himself from barfing. He was grateful when someone walked in with a young girl and Nerissa paused the Games.

"Hello Mrs. Ianthe," Nerissa said brightly as a plump, short woman bustled in the door. He saw the little girl shared her looks, was this his mother?

"Hello, Nerissa, Percy, now come along Zita, we want to get all dressed up... Oh Percy! Do wear something nice!" she called back to him as she headed up the stairs. He nodded and then turned back to Nerissa, who was now snuggling up against him. He did the one thing he thought Annabeth would want and put his arm around her, she made a sound of contentment and fell asleep soon afterward, so Percy turned off the TV.

* * *

**THALIAS POV**

**DISTRICT 5**

Thalia sat up in bed and scurried over to the door, well, large piece of fabric, her room was pretty much plywood with bits of cloth covering the 'windows', they were moving softly, indicating a soft wind. She pushed the fabric aside and saw a communal area, a rather large one at that. She saw long tables with what she assumed to be a stage or kitchen area at the other end of the building. She saw other rectangular holes in the plywood that had swathes of fabric where doors should be, with wooden slots above them bearing names. She turned to observe hers and was relieved when it read _'Thalia' _she wandered out into the area and stubbed her toe on one of the chairs. A curtain snapped back and a very irate looking girl stepped out, she looked not a day over twelve.

"Shhh! Do you _want _the Peacekeepers to see why we're up so early on the Reaping Day? Can you not stay put until nine?" the girl snapped.

"How am I supposed to know it's nine?" Thalia replied sardonically, the girl looked at her like she was retarded.

"All the Community Homes in the district come on at nine moron," she said icily, before snapping her curtain shut. Thalia shrugged and went back to hers. She soon realized her 'room' had a concrete slab for a floor and what looked like a military issue cot and wooden shipping container. She opened it and found pairs of jeans and collections of shirts. She frowned and headed back to her cot, she would need sleep.

* * *

"THALIA STOLE FROM ME!" someone shouted and Thalia sprang up, only to smack someone in the face with hers, she stepped back but landed on her cot, with the other person grabbing their face. They wore some white uniform, only now there was some blood dripping on it.

"Arrest her for assaulting a Peacekeeper," the older one barked, and the non-injured younger one grabbed her arms and pinned them behind her back, handcuffing her.

"Hey!" she shouted, but they dragged her off through the commons. She was lead through another curtain, and then into the bright and dazzling sunshine of District 5. She saw large, monolithic, ugly factories, emitting pollution and smog. Thalia coughed but listened in on the Peacekeepers.

"It's the Reaping, how are we gonna punish her? The square is in use," the one dragging Thalia remarked and one of them sighed.

"I don't know, the mayor said we could use the Justice Building for stuff like this,"

"Yeah, but we can't punish her, she's gonna be in the square for the Reaping,"

"So?"

"You want Snow to fire you?"

"You're right, no face hits?" Thalia instantly tensed, but he pushed her towards an old courthouse, she looked closely at it, and barely, just barely, you could read _In God We Trust. _

"Fine, but leave her alone until the hour before the Reaping, Thread will want to know what we're gonna do," they marched her down a long, dark, hallway that smelled strongly of asbestos and antiseptic, making Thalia cringe. She was lead into a room with nothing but a bright light and a chair. They shoved her into the chair and walked out, turning out the light. Thalia fumbled around for her ring, but it wasn't there! How was she supposed to get her spear now? She looked up into the darkness for, who knows, a sign from Zeus, but nada.

Thalia turned and tried to figure out the important event, but nothing enlightening, she was nearly eighteen, was this where they punished adults for 'stealing'? And how would she have stolen anything she hadn't- that girl must've made it up! Of all the immature things! Thalia seethed in the darkness, if she saw that girl again once she got out of this asbestos basement! She stood and walked over to where she thought the door was, she groped along the wall and finally found the door knob. Locked. She slumped to the floor and let out a puff of air, she found a corner and laid her head in the crook of it, might as well sleep.

* * *

**ANNABETH CHASES POV**

**DISTRICT 7**

Annabeth awoke in a small house with wooden boards for walls and glass windows. She rose from her mat on the floor and saw a little girl sleeping beside her. She looked so young with her little button nose, dirty blond hair and freckles. Annabeth looked around and saw a figure sleeping on the floor, she crept over to see who it was and it was a man. He had short dark hair and beard stubble, he was very dirty like the rest of them as well. He had scars on his hands and looked strong. Annabeth walked over to the door and peered out, early morning light barely made in an impact through the dense fog. She frowned. There were trees surrounding her entire house, why? She then saw a family by the looks of it walk by, they were all dressed like they were going to church, but none of them looked happy.

"Annabeth, what're you looking at?" a mans gruff voice asked and Annabeth turned to see who it was.

"Just checking the weather," she said brightly, the man frowned.

"I hope you're not thinking about running off today, I figured after what happened with Mason-"

"I'm not running off," Annabeth reassured the man, and then the little girl woke up crying.

"Annabeth, can you go get some water from the well? I know it's a bit of a hike…" the man trailed off when someone rapped on the wooden planks. Men in white uniforms stood there, Annabeth had a feeling she didn't like them.

"Can I help you officers?" She asked, one of them shot her a look.

"It's time for the Reaping, your neighbors said you stayed in your work home. That is not permitted on government days," one of them said curtly. The man walked to the door.

"I was assigned here by Rawlins," he answered frostily.

"I see, you should have left your children at the Community Home for punctuality," he says crisply.

"Why would they be eager to see which one of their friends is dying?" He answered brashly and one of the officers struck him across the face. The little girl screamed and the officers grabbed all of them. The little girl screamed for her father, Annabeth was assumed he was the man. The man cried out for Annabeth and Cassandra as they lead him towards the woods.

Annabeth struggled against them but one of them hit her into unconsciousness.

**REBECCAS POV**

**DISTRICT 10**

Rebecca awoke to the sounds of a farm and she smiled, it remindeother of the farm she had lived on with her foster family just outside of Abilene, until the monsters started attacking. Rebecca shot up out of bed, she wasnt in Texas or Manhattan! Rebecca shot up off her bed and looked around, one other bed was across from her, the boy looked a bit like her, the same olive skin and dark, messy hair. But she hamess hooked nose and dark eyes, the boys eyes fluttered open and he groaned. Rebecca frowned, she only remembered bits and pieces of the night before and she groaned too. She's seen the Hunger Games and knew what they inticed. Why would anyone do such a cruel, sadistic thing to children? She sat up to face the boy and saw he had a wider nose, a flatter mouth, grey eyes.

"Ready for today Rebecca?" He asked.

"Yes Michael," she replied, how she knew his name she didn't know.

"Good, lets go and face it!" He said as he swung himself out of bed and into his shoes. Rebecca followed suit and he walked out to District 10. It really was beautiful, the short trees were autumn colors, the grass green with animals dotting the horizon. Ten wasn't a large district, they merely had allot of people who couldn't make ends meet, meaning allot of tessera sign ups, even with people sneaking off with the old cow or slipping into the prairies and fishing on the huge river than ran near them. Sometimes you could even get an artifact. Rebecca rubbed her head, all nth is information, where was it coming from?

"Rebecca, you want to go by Dave's?" Michael asked, she nodded. They headed past the other shanties that made up District 10s residential area. Metal sheeting, plywood, hardened mud, some adobe, old clothes made up most of the construction material here, unless you worked in the slaughterhouses, you probably weren't very successful. There was a minuscule merchant class, but they were people who had been loyal to the Capitol since the Dark Days and had special licenses.

"Dave," Rebecca called softly through the 'door'. No answer.

"Maybe he's not home," Michael quipped, but he looked worried.

"Let's go to the Square, I saved some beef jerkey for supper," Rebecca said as Michael started poking around.

"All right," Michael replied, pulling away from the adobe building.


	3. The Reaping

**This was written when HG, CF and Mockingjay were the only hunger games books published so if I mess up the victors I'm sorry. Ember is Foxface btw. And try not to laugh at my terrible Finnick!**

* * *

**PERCY'S POV**

**DISTRICT 4**

**THE REAPING**

Percy stood in the sweltering heat of Districts 4's midday. He stood in the midst of allot of boys that were his age and had similar looks. Nerissa waved eagerly from the girls side and he waved back shyly, he still didn't know what to think of his now girlfriend. He saw a pudgy looking man waddle onto the stage and toward the microphone.

"Welcome everyone, to the Reaping of the Seventy-fifth Annual Hunger Games..." he launches into a grand old speech about the history of Panem and why the Hunger Games were created, as much as my ADHD kicks in, I hang on to every word.

"And this year is very special, this year is a Quarter Quell, as a reminder that for every Capitol citizen that died, two rebels were killed, we shall reap two boys and two girls," a loud cheer fills the square and I shiver, if I was locked in an arena with these people.

"Good morning!" a chirpy female voice says as she takes the microphone away. She reminds me of some washed-up movie star, the way her face has been tucked too many times and she has way too much makeup.

"I'll start with the boys!" she says and heads to the bowl on the right of the stage.

"Rodger Davies," she calls, a thirteen year old boy with curly red hair steps forward, he's shaking in his shoes. She places him next to her and fishes out the next name.

"Percy Jackson," everyone turns to look at me and steps back, as if I have the Bubonic Plague.

"What?" I ask, stunned. Two Peacekeepers drag me onto the stage and deposit me next to Rodger. I hear two girls names called.

"Rose Zeller," I see a short, fifteen year old blonde girl walk nonchalantly onto the stage. "Nerissa Waters," she calls and Nerissa bounces onto the stage, catatonic with joy. She smiles at me and pecks me on the cheek, before Peacekeepers load us into the Justice Building. My 'mother' and 'sister' come to visit, but I stare out the window most of the time, not even admiring the luxurious room. I'm guided onto a platform and camera crews click away madly. I'm shown my train compartment and I immediately order any blue food I can think of as I pick a new outfit. Something that will make me different. I am summoned to dinner and see a, well what I'm assuming Annabeth would call, good-looking young man and woman. The man introduces himself as Finnick Odair and the woman simply as Cresta.

"Percy, I'm going to mentor Rose and Nerissa, Finnick will handle you and Rodger," Cresta chirps, her long blonde hair flowing down to her knees.

"Remember what Annie said," Finnick reminds her, Cresta frowns.

"I will, good night Finnick," she says before walking little Rose down the hallway.

"What's your weapon?" Finnick asks instantly.

"Sword, a little spear and archery," I sputter out.

"Alright, gorge yourself, you'll need the extra weight in the arena, I'll go determine your strategy," Finnick says. Then he heaves himself out of the dining chair so I eat alone.

* * *

**THALIAS POV**

**DISTRICT 5**

**THE REAPING**

After living with my mother for seven years, you'd have thought I could handle being locked in dark, confined spaces. But by the third hour I was hyperventilating. I heard someone walk down the hallway and composed myself, whoever these people were they weren't the kind of people you wanted to think you were weak. I walked over to the chair and sat there as if I was on my front porch in the summer afternoon with a glass of lemonade.

Soon the door swung open and two people in white uniforms walked in, one a short male and a taller female. I saw a little girl being marched past and my stomach churned, what could she have done?

"Thalia Grace, you are aware of the penalty of stealing," the woman says frostily, I shake my head. She looks at me as if I'm retarded, the man nudges the woman.

"Maybe she wants a few extra minutes to live," the man says softly and I look at him, he's the one I want to befriend.

"The penalty is death," the woman says crisply, "now come, you're still required to attend the Reaping," she beckons for my arm, when I don't give she grabs it and marches me down the hall.

I don't know where District 5 is, but it's awfully cold up here for the fall, at least, I think it's fall, I think when were were in Camp Half-Blood it was late September. The shorter one guides me to an area marked

**16F **

"We'll collect you afterwards," he says knowingly and I'm left in a crowd of sixteen year old girls, they all have reddish hair and dark eyes, a few with green. A woman with a silly accent takes the stage and I ignore her largely until she calls my name, every one steps away from me as if I'm Hades himself.

"What?" I ask, two uniforms grab me and deposit me on stage, along with an intelligent but slight looking girl as well, I think she's fifteen. The woman calls two more boys on stage and then we're escorted into the Justice Building, where I was not even an hour before, for a minute I hyperventilate when I realize, whatever they've chosen me for, they can' hurt me. I'm stuffed in a very luxurious room, but no one comes to visit me.

Not like Jason would be here anyway. I sigh at the thought of my brother, away at Camp Jupiter, I hope Kronos hasn't got to him yet. Another Peacekeeper comes to my door and speaks.

"We're ready for you now Miss. Grace," he says politely and I scrutinize him.

"Who?" I ask.

"The train depot," he says as if it should be self-evident.

"Right," I say, and let him lead me down a few hallways before I emerge on a platform. As a kid my mom would load us in the car and drive until we were asleep, then wake us up the next morning and 'remind' us of what we did a few 'days' ago. Turns out I've never been to Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, Chicago, Yellowstone or Big Bend. I wonder if they're still here, in this world they call Panem.

* * *

I walk into one of the cars and am surprised with the luxury they gave us, a few hours ago I was marked for punishment.

"About damn time!" one of them barks, he's drunk. My mother gave me the wonderful gift of being able to know when someones drunk just by the way they breathe.

"Sorry I'm late," I say curtly and take a seat, buttering a roll.

"I'm sorry about Yosef, he is drunk, again," she purses her lips and looks at us all. "I'm taking care of the girl tributes, Yosef the boys, it's best if you don't, fraternize," she says tightly.

"Come along Ember, Thalia," she looks at me pointedly and I rise, the girl I assume is Ember already behind her. The woman leads us to another train car and down another.

"So what're we doing?" I ask brusquely.

"Being crude will not win you any points in the arena Thalia," she says sternly.

"And who are you I might add?" I ask cockily, Embers eyebrows soar and I know they think I should already know this.

"I am Velda, your only _living _female victor," she says haughtily. I can tell she's the kind of person who's written me off as a trouble-maker. I smirk. "You know, I think I'll leave you in the ah, capable hands of our escort," she says deviously and I shake my head.

"I'll guide myself thanks," I say confidently, so this is how my Games will begin.

"Have it your way then," she says, I hear a slight British accent in her voice.

"You wouldn't happen to be British would you?" I ask carelessly and she frowns.

"What are you talking about?" she asks, suspicious.

"Nothing," I say quickly, too quickly at that.

"Your room is at the end of the train," she says warily, I nod and head back, only to realize I'm heading toward the dining car where Yosef and the other boys were. I crouch by the door to try and hear their strategy, if Yosef is lucid enough to participate. All I hear are two teenage boys grumbling about how drunk he is, but nothing more. I walk breezily through the door and their heads snap up.

"What're you doing here?" the larger one says accusatorily and I shrug.

"Going to my bedroom, you want to join me?" I ask sarcastically, his eyes burn and the younger boy shakes his head. "Well have a nice evening," I deadpan, sauntering off to my room.

* * *

**ANNABETHS POV**

**DISTRICT 7**

**THE REAPING**

I casually leaned against the door frame of the room, more like closet, the Peacekeepers shoved us into. Cassandra is weeping in the corner so I stay as brave as I can while on the inside, I'm freaking out. I have no idea where I am except that we're totally at the mercy of the Peacekeepers, and something tells me running to another government official won't help matters.

"Annabeth, what if we die?" Cassandra sobs and I pull her close.

"You listen to me Cassandra, we're not going to die, I promise," the door snaps open and a harried looking young man looks frantically between Cassandra and I.

"You two, with me, now," he pants, throwing two bags in our direction.

"What?" I ask but he cups his hand over my mouth.

"No questions, just move, they'll be on us any minute now," he says. I don't trust him, but lesser of two evils. I swing the pack onto my shoulder and take Cassandras as well, hoisting her into my arms.

The man guides us down a few hallways and soon we are out in a cool, but humid forest. It looks like Endor sort of. I shake my head, I doubt Percy finds that attractive in a girl, then shake my head for having that thought.

"Annabeth," Cassandra whimpers and I hold her tightly, the man takes off without warning and I follow him. We run into the woods and he hurdles over logs and bushes, whereas I'm hampered by not two, but three weights. He sees my dilemma and grabs my bags. I hug Cassandra closer when suddenly he hops over something I have no time to react to. I'm falling, banging against a moist, brown earth walls as I tumble down the slope, Cassandra screaming louder than anything. I slam my back into something and black out.

* * *

I black out and when I awake, people are screaming at me. A little girl is pleading for me to wake up, but I can't make out specifics in all this ringing and swelling of voices. Someone else is yelling for me to move but I can't. Someone scoops up the little girl and then it's as if someone flipped the focus switch back on in my brain. The man was carrying Cassandra away, I literally sat up when someone barreled into me from on top of the crest. I yelped in pain, I swear if not all my bones were broken by now-

"Freeze, you are under arrest for high treason," the man barked in my ear.

"What're you talking about? He took me from the Justice Building!" I yelled but he wouldn't have it. A tromp through the woods showed some odd things, shacks built in little alcoves all leading to a main dirt road, I saw the one I had stayed in only the day before. Burnt to the ground.

"Ma'am, please refrain from moving," the man said gruffly as I squirmed.

"You think she's too injured?" one of them asked.

"No, she'll do fine," the man holding me said. We reached the city limits and he unbound my hands, but kept a firm grip on my arm. He guided me to a section marked **14F**, I knew what this was. Instantly I started thrashing but he was too strong. Thrusting me into the throng of fourteen year old girls he pointed to the roofs. Machine guns and cameras were aiming at us from every angle. I swallowed and the Peacekeeper marched off. Whatever he thought he was going to do, I was going to get out of here and find Percy. A feminine voice fills the air and I look to the stage in front of the Justice Building. A slight man in a magenta suit introduces the mayor and other important people. He reads the card and tells us two female tributes and two male tributes will be selected as a reminder that for every Capitol citizen that was killed during the Dark Days, two rebels were killed. The man fishes around the bowl filled with names and said persons name boomed through the town.

"Annabeth Chase," he says enthusiastically. So this is what they plan for me. To die publicly and in a higher probability, painfully and slowly. Four Peacekeepers move my way but I move so they will have no reason to grab me. I take my place on the stage as she fishes around the bowl.

"Cassandra Chase," he reads the slip and a collective gasp goes through out the square. A sister and sister pair. Never before has this been seen. Then people boo uncontrollably until someone volunteers.

"I volunteer as tribute," a voice called across the crowd, all sound being sucked out of the square. A young woman, eighteen maybe, steps out of the fold and I take her in. She looks better fed than the rest of us, stronger too.

"And what is your name love?" the man asks.

"Zoe, Zoe Artega," she says calmly and stands next to me, tall and proud. The man calls out two boys names and I am impassive, I don't know any of them. Given my recent run for the hills I'm escorted directly onto the train, where Capitol attendants still roam about. One of them shows me to my room. I know I should gather as much intel as possible, but how can I bond with these people I will eventually have to kill for my own survival? I groan and shower, examining my injuries. My head throbs but no internal injuries, a huge bruise on my side and back with a long cut on my forearm. Nothing to hinder my survival in the wild. I go ahead and order some past Games, to see exactly what I'm up against.

* * *

**REBECCA LANGSTONS POV**

**DISTRICT 10**

**THE REAPING**

Michael dropped my off in front of some decrepit office building and I look around. The mud roads are empty, storefronts have Panem propaganda spread over them and one slightly crazy looking man walks his goat by me, then turns into the storefront. Curious, I follow him and he merely walks to the back of an abandoned storefront. He pulls back a door and a kerosene lantern sits on a plate that slides into the wall. As if he forgot his manners he turns to look at me.

"You coming?" he asks, I nod, curiosity getting the better of me. I slide past him and clamber down the rickety wooden steps to what smells like spices, cooking meat, candles and dirt. I hear laughter and the sound of bottles breaking. There can be no other reason Michael, however I am related to him, if at all, would drop me off in such a desolate place.

"I expected something a little more above ground," I say with a smile on my face as I descend the steps and my feet land on an ancient concrete floor. By the look of it I can tell that this is the old subway tunnels of wherever I am now. Some people smile and wave at me as I walk by, others merely glare. There's one boy, I think his name is Connor, but he looks at me with total loathing. I skirt around him to a candle stand, browsing until he walks away.

"You gonna buy anything sweetie? A token maybe?" a sweet old woman asks from behind the stand. I smell vodka on someone and gag, she smiles. "I figured you'd be used to that smell now Beckie," I cringe at the name, I hate that name _so _much!

"No, just looking, do you have any scented ones?" I ask and she laughs.

"What do you think this is? The Capitol?" she starts laughing uncontrollably. I look around, trying to figure out what to do when a man the next stall over shakes his head, smiling.

"What're you lookin' at?" I ask brashly, he turns to look at me, surprised.

"Rebecca here is saying more than two words to someone that's not family, should be a national holiday, but of course, it's the Reaping. Imminent threat of death hanging over your head loosened your tongue?" he asks menacingly. I'm about to open my mouth to answer when a _Peacekeeper _walks over and stands between us, talking to the old lady. I know for a fact he's trying to separate us because he 'accidentally' bumps into me with his bag full of candles. I look into his face and see he's barely over sixteen.

"How're you a Peacekeeper?" I ask and he looks up, scowling.

"None of your business, I just don't want you to get another black eye from going head to head with Derek," he snaps and walks off, candles in hand. I frown and head back to the staircase.

* * *

"I got some candles, apples and of course, some rope," I chirp as I close the wooden door shut. I could hear the beautiful sound of rain hitting the metal sheeting that was our roof, the rags we'd stuffed between the holes between it and the adobe walls, some bits were thatched grass, others dried mud. I understood why not allot of houses used that for walls, it washed away in the rain. So we patched it up with grass. Some bits of cloth that covered the holes that were 'windows' blew off and one of them hit the wick of my candle, the tall, fat one. "Cover it," I called to Michael and he nailed it shut. I breathed a sigh of relief, the hurried to dry the wicks. Aside from the meager grey light filtering in from the storm, we couldn't see five feet in front of us. So basically half the hut.

"I got a dry shirt," Michael grunted, tossing it to me. "Look, in case-" he's cutoff by what sounds like and air raid siren. I'm about to ask him where the bomb shelters are when a clean, crisp voice booms over it.

"The Reaping is still scheduled, the Reaping is still scheduled," it repeats ten times before signing off.

"Yes, Michael?" I ask but he shakes his head. He fishes around under his bed and I check the chest for any nicer clothes. I suppose long black pants and a light blue, button up shirt will have to do. They're a bit faded and worn and I ask why we have to dress up for something so terrible.

"You know, so we can, 'respect the Capitol' don't act like you don't already know this," he quotes the phrase in the Capitol accent and it's creepy. Someone knocks on our door and I pull on my boots before answering it. It's my neighbor, Dave.

"Hey Dave," I say brightly, looking at the linen shirt he's wearing with khakis.

"You ready for this?" he asks solemnly, extending his hand toward me.

"Yes," I say seriously, I turn back to Michael to let him know where I'm going, but he just nods. I step out into the rain and shiver immediately, Camp Half-Blood shielded the rain and Abilene was always in a drought, rain is so strange to me sometimes, what if this is weird apocalyptic rain that causes your skin to wither up? I look around, I'm safe.

We walk in silence and part ways, I head for the fifteen year old girl section, he the fifteen year old boy section. I stand in the rain, everyone is herded in by Peacekeepers, I recognize one of them as the boy from the Underground. He barely acknowledges I breath the same air as he does.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Reaping of the Seventy-fifth Annual Hunger Games!" the woman cheers brightly into the microphone, no one reacts. The mayor then steps forward and carries on to a speech about the Dark Days, as she reads it, flashes of it come into my mind. A battle on a coastline, bombings of suburban homes. More bombardment, it looks like total annihilation. Then she tells of how this game, being a Quarter Quell, is altered a bit to remind us of why we play the Games. As if killing twenty-three children isn't enough, she tells us how they will double the number of tributes from each district and my stomach clenches. I am going to be picked. So it's no surprise when I hear 'Rebecca Langston' bleated over the microphone. I only notice one of the boys from my district has a bad leg, with a gasp I realize it's the man I fought with, I didn't notice his leg then. I vaguely remember being loaded straight to the train, I hear one of the Peacekeepers say "District 9, Level 5, no time," and shutting us all in.

"Rebecca are you even paying attention?" our victor, Quinoa barks.

"Yes, you're telling us how to win sponsors," I answer sourly. I barely know how Percy, Annabeth and Thalia turned out and they expect me to eat lamb and plum stew?

"You know what? Lets watch the recaps!" Quinoa says crankily, we all rise to follow her. I sit as far away as I can from the other. District One is Glimmer and Cashmere for the girl tributes. Glimmer looks about 17, Clarisse 15. The boys are Marvel and Gloss, the same ages as their female counterparts respectively. District Two is Enobaria, maybe 18, and Clove, about 16. The boys are Brutus and Cato, they're maybe 17. District 3 totally escapes my mind but I remember everyone from District 4. I was drifting off when I heard 'Percy Jackson' blast over the TV speaker and I shot up, writing down everything about his district partners.

Rodger Davies, a scared looking 13 year old. Rose Zeller, a confident 15 year old. Nerissa Waters, an arrogant Career, and of course Percy. I'm now glued to the set, writing down all the tributes. Thalia Grace, Ember, and two boys from District 5, one is about 13, the other looks downright murderous. Two children of previous victors from District 6. Annabeth Chase and Zoe Artega. Brian is 16 and rather strong looking, the other one, Clayton, is 12 and looks ready to pee his pants. District 8 sends in rather unmemorable tributes and District 9's footage is cut rather short, you only see their names called. Nothing else. They look underfed to me, so I write them off. District 10 is my district, so we skip it. District 11 gives us a formidable looking Thresh and Chaff, both 17 but the latter is missing a hand. District 12 brings a show as one girl volunteers for her sister, unheard of the further you get. Her name is Katniss Everdeen. I know this is who Chiron wanted us to protect. The other girl is Madge. I can tell by the way the mayor reacts it's his daughter. The two boys are Peeta Mellark and Gale Hawthorne. I think Katniss and Gale know each other, but I'm not sure.

Quinoa makes sure we got to bed, so I do, but I stay up thinking of my weaponry skills and how I'm going to contact my fellow demigods. I decide that in training, which is two days from now, that I will pretend to be interested in their skills, but really talk to them about our strategy. I roll over and try to sleep. I'll need it.

* * *

**PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW EVERY CHAPTER!**


	4. Chariot Rides And Tributes

**PERCY JACKSONS POV**

**THE STABLE AREA**

* * *

Percy stood sulkily to the side, leaning against the wall of the stables. Since this year there were twice as many tributes from each district the males were together and the females in another chariot. Percy thought this was the stupidest thing ever. Shouldn't they be showing off their training skills and not riding around in some pansy costumes? He heard the smacking of gum behind him and gritted his teeth. Nerissa now had the annoying habit of chewing something in her mouth to get his attention. Since no one else was in their chariots he doubted she was coming to tell him he needed to get in his. He turned to see someone in a monstrous silver headpiece and tubelike thing. That someone was Thalia, her short, choppy hair tucked up in a miserable looking bun with silver and sparkly makeup smeared allover her face. He found this gaudy outfit so _bizarre _on anyone, especially Thalia, that he started laughing.

"If you laugh one more time I will kill you _before _we get in the arena," Thalia growled, making him laugh harder. "Annabeth says hi," she said shortly and he looked up, instantly serious.

"You talked to her?" he asked.

"Yeah, District 5 and 7 aren't too far apart on the platform. Rebeccas in 10 and it's obvious where you are, you look sexy by the way," she said, eyeing his fishnet outfit. Pretty much anything above the belt and below the knees was visible. Why, he didn't know.

"I know. So how is the new girl?" he asked, Annabeth could look out for herself, it was this new kid he wasn't too sure of.

"Rebecca, call her Becky and it annoys her to no end," Thalia said with an evil grin, then composed herself, "anyway she's pretty decent with a spear, not ready to hunt with it though... Look like I'm intimidating you so no one things we're weirdos," she said with a grimace on her face. Thalia was such a terrible actor.

"Might want to flip that around, seeing as I'm the one with this nifty-" Percy started but Nerissa strutted inbetween them.

"Hey baby, where've you been?" she cooed and Percy inwardly groaned. Thalia whipped the headgear off one of her District 5 partners and took off with it, her partner and stylist sprinting after her, leaving Percy alone.

"On the train?" he answered weakly.

"Well why didn't you visit me?" she purred.

"Finnick made me stay away," Percy muttered, where was his mentor anyway?

"What a shame," a whistle sounded and everyone hopped into their chariots, Percy with Rodger and Nerissa with Rose. When he finally pulled out into the Capitols street, he was deafened by the rounds of applause. Ahead of him were the girls dressed in blue dresses with coral or starfish crowns. He closed his eyes before opening them again when they rolled into City Circle. There had been a huge surge in applause about two minutes ago but he didn't bother to open his eyes. He saw President Snow and cringed at the sight. Those lips, ech, just disgusting. He turned around to see his fellow tributes and his eyes found a pair of stormy grey ones.

* * *

**ANNABETH CHASES POV**

**CITY CIRCLE**

I hate dressing up as trees, I mean for gods sakes can you get any more obvious? I was standing in my chariot, noticing how the tributes were like a keypad on a phone circled around the platform like this,

_District 1- District 2 - District 3_

_District 4 - __District 5 - __District 6 _

_______District 7 - __District 8 - __District 9_

_____________District 10 - __District 11 - __District 12_

And that was how I saw Percy Jackson standing in front of me. Thalia had told me he was probably given to the sea district as she was in the power district (she can summon lightning) and I was in the lumber district (architects determine if the material is any good) so here I was, dressed as a tree and making eye contact with Percy. He mouthed something to me, but his carriage jostled as he was pulled away and I couldn't read him. Some other girl from his district was staring daggers at me, but I barely noticed. I hop off my carriage and see Katniss and Peeta are rushed off by their mentor, Johanna and Woof come and collect us, I barely listen to them. Chiron said we needed to protect them from someone dangerous, help them with whatever they needed. And for that I needed to talk to Haymitch Abernathy.

"I want to partner with District 12," I say knowingly, Johanna stops yelling at Woof and looks at me.

"Whats that honey?" she asks and I repeat myself. "Oh yes lets join District 12, the weakest one and get killed extra early! Yes! Lets do that!" she cries with sarcastic joy. "I'm here to make sure you don't get yourself killed, if you had something to offer the careers, then maybe, maybe I would approve, but not 12," she says seriously. I cast my eyes to the window. I'll just talk to them during training.

* * *

**REBECCA LANGSTONS POV**

**TRAINING CENTER, FLOOR 10**

The people here are crazy. Aside from the whole sending-us-into-an-arena-to-kill-each-other, they're crazy. After having to stand in a cowgirl outfit that was probably a remnant of some some highschools brigade I tore straight for the elevators. My mentor Quinoa thinks I'm the meanest girl alive after last nights episode. So now I have to pray that in the arena my skills will be enough. If I could travel across North America before an apocalypse, I can manage whatever they throw at us in the arena.

"Rebecca!" Quinoa calls and I turn to face her.

"Yes?" I ask.

"Linsey has offered to be your mentor," she says, her face flushed.

"Sure," I answer apathetically. Quinoa shakes her head and walks back to her tribute, the girl from my district. I don't know her name or age. I feel like I should. Her being from my district and all. "Hey, Quinoa," I call back and she walks over.

"Yes Rebecca?"

"What's the other girls name?" I ask.

"Mika, Mika O'Brian," she answers, "she's twelve."

"Oh," is all I can say.


	5. Plans For The Future

**Meaningless author notes. Happy Thanksgiving!**

* * *

**PERCY JACKSONS POV**

**FLOOR 4, TRAINING CENTER**

I awoke with Nerissa laying next to me in bed, clothes on thank gods. I shot up and rolled onto the floor, smacking my head on the dresser. Nerissa stirs but I lie quiet and she goes back to sleep. I'm still groggy so I get some clothes on before heading to the dining room. No one is there except a few Avoxes I've heard them called so I fix the food myself. It's alright, some weird stuff though. I'm trying to remember how and when Nerissa got in my bed when Rose walks in.

"Good morning Rose," I say cheerfully.

"Call me Zeller," she tells me.

"I'm Percy,"

"I know, you're the guy who acted bewildered at the fact of getting reaped," she says and I frown.

"Acted?"

"Come on, everyone in the district knows you wanted to volunteer as soon as you turned 16," Zeller says as she eats a spoonful of hot grain, it's bland compared to the rest of the stuff.

"Here, have some of this melon," I say, spooning some the purple meat toward her, but she refuses.

"Don't, I like it," she says and takes another bite, just as Rodger walks in. He nods to us, grabs a plate and loads it up before leaving.

"He's only thirteen and they let him get r eaped?" I ask incredulously. Teenagers at least have physical prowess.

"Yeah," Zeller replies, "I'm surprised no one volunteered for these games. But it is a Quell, all kinds of weird stuff goes down in the arena," she says and I narrow my eyes.

"Weird stuff?"

"You know, everything is poisoned, urban ruin rigged with all kinds of traps, need I go on?" she asks sardonically and I shake my head.

"So what do you think this one will be?" I'm about to ask when Nerissa walks in with Cresta.

"Hey babe," she says, walking over and kissing me on the cheek, I shove some food in my mouth before she hits my lips. I scarf down my food and head out before she can sit down.

"Hey, be ready to train Jackson! We leave in an hour!" Finnick yells and I grunt. If Nerissa keeps following me like this, gods what will I do?

* * *

Finnick stands beside the four of us as we ride down. Zeller stands there silently, her long, blonde hair falling down in curls, just like Annabeths...

"Jackson!" Finnick barks and I snap out of my thoughts, the others have left the elevator.

"Right!" I answer and head over to the tribute circle. Finnick gathers us up though.

"Look, team up with the best skilled and smartest, and hide your skills in training, one of you has to come home," Finnick says, making eye contact with each of us. We all nod and he sends us off, where Atala is explaining the stations. I catch sight of blonde hair with a 7 on her sleeve and smile, but compose myself as I walk over.

"Hey Annabeth," I say casually, she grins but focuses on her knot.

"Gods I would hug you but too many people are watching!" she hisses in frustration.

"Tell me about it, apparently-" I'm about to tell her about Nerissa, but then decide not to.

"Apparently what?" Annabeth asks and I look around for an excuse.

"Zeller wants to ally with us," I blurt and Annabeth frowns.

"We've never met."

"Well, she knows me and I know her..." I trail off, hoping Annabeth doesn't get the wrong idea.

"Oh," she says, "well we need to get Thalia and Rebecca over here to-"

"What about me?" Rebecca asks as she sits down to make a snare, something she does rather well.

"We need Thalia over here to make a plan-" Annabeth explains, Rebecca whistles loud enough for the entire center to hear us and beckons Thalia over.

"Next time don't feel the need to whistle," Thalia hisses at Rebecca.

"What can I say? It's to make the cows come home," she teases and Thalia rolls her eyes.

"So are we allies or what?" Thalia asks. Annabeth looks at us, we all nod.

"We'll meet on the roof at midnight okay?" Rebecca says and we all look at her. "You want to make a plan with lover boy ogling at Annabeth?" she asks and I look at Annabeth, who looks down at her feet.

"What's she talking about?" I ask.

"Nothing," Annabeth mumbles, then I notice the bruise on her cheek.

"What did that son of a-"

"Percy!" Rebecca snaps, "do you want to get us discovered?" she growls and I shake my head. "Then go to your own damn station, we need to spread out. I'm sorry about this by the way," she says. Before I can comprehend she yells at me and socks me in the face. For a short girl she punches like Mohammed Ali. Instantly two Peacekeepers arrive to haul her off and she's yelling obscenities and Thalia saunters off to weights, Annabeth to spears. What exactly went down I have no idea, but I head over to edible plants. I have a hard time with it and skip over to spears, I'm decent enough but if it came down to an opponent running at me with a spear, I'd be a shishkebob.

At lunch I slide in next to you.

"Who punched you in the face?" I ask casually and she stabs her food with her fork.

"Some Peacekeepers in 7," she says and I look at her quizzically.

"I never had a run in with mine," I say and she raises her eyebrows.

"Well you're a Career, Sherlock," she says like it's so obvious.

"A what?" I ask and she sighs, putting her fork down.

"It's comprised of the tributes from 1, 2, and 4. They're put into special academies and at age eighteen, they volunteer. By then they could kill you with a sharpened toothbrush," she tells me and I nod.

"So you want me to team up with them?" I ask and she nods. I'm about to object but she stops me.

"Listen Percy, I'm just going to team up with Thalia, maybe Rebecca, I'll tell you our plan tonight on the roof okay?" she explains before scooping up her tray and walking over to where Thalia sits alone, daring the other tributes to sit near her.

* * *

**THALIAS POV**

**TRAINING CENTER**

"Percy wants to team up with us," Annabeth tells me.

"Of course he does," I say and she looks at me questioningly. "Don't tell me you haven't noticed," I say and she frowns.

"Noticed what?" she asks.

"Gods," I say, "it's obvious he likes you," I whisper and she blushes.

"No way," she protests, unfortunately for her, all her red blood cells have migrated to her cheeks.

"Oh my gods!" I exclaim and she looks down at her trey.

"So, what's are plan?" she asks crisply.

"Just you wait 7, I'll get to the bottom of this," I say mischievously, then District 4 slides in next to us. "Who the hell are you?" I ask sassily and the girl rolls her eyes.

"Percy said you two were willing to team with me," she says, gesturing to Percy who is now at the Career table, he nods then returns to his conversation.

"Of course," Annabeth says, "and your name is?"

"Rose Zeller, but I go by my last name," she says and I nod.

"Do you have any strengths?" I ask.

"Bow and spear, I used to go stream-fishing with my dad with them," she says and I nod, that's actually pretty tricky.

"Well I'm good with those too," I say and look at Annabeth.

"I know all the plants and their uses, and I can throw knives and hand to hand I'm decent at," she says.

"Well I think we'll get along just fine," Zeller says and digs into her bread, it's a greenish kind of bread. "Either of you have a tribute list?" Zeller asks and Annabeth flips through her pockets.

"Here," she says, flopping a journal onto the table.

**Tributes**

**_District 1_  
**

**Cashmere 15**

**Glimmer 17**

"They're both good with a knife," Zeller notifies us and Annabeth scowls, I think she wanted to steal the show with knives.

**Gloss 16**

"He likes to throw knives," I tell Annabeth and her scowl grows deeper.

**Marvel 17**

"He uses the spear and kukri," Annabeth tells us and she scrawls it in, now I'm the one who's frowning.

_**District 2**_

**Enobaria 18**

"She beat me in sword-fighting," Zeller says sulkily.

**Clove 16**

**Brutus 17**

**Cato 17**

"These are all volunteers," Annabeth informs us.

_**District 3**_

**Wiress 15**

**Volts 14**

**Beetee 16**

**Nuts 13**

"I heard these guys are supposed to be whizkids," I tell Annabeth and she scowls, everybody here has her skills, I can see it bothering her.

_**District 4**_

**Nerissa 16**

"Nerissa is handy with a sword," I tell Annabeth what Percy told me.

**Rose 15**

"Oh look it's me," Zeller says sardonically.

**Percy 16**

**Rodger 13**

_**District 5**_

**Ember 15**

**Elsa 14**

**Riken 16**

**Acuvim 17**

"Ember is pretty clever, I saw her at the stations and she's pretty quick with them," I tell them and Annabeth scratches in her skills.

_**District 6**_

**Viktoria 13**

**Veronika 15**

**Viktor 17**

"Do they have a thing for V's in 6?" Annabeth asks and Zeller rolls her eyes.

"They're children of two victors of that district," Zeller says and Annabeth frowns.

"Some coincidence," I say sarcastically.

"It's sick, I know the Games are sick enough," she hurries to add when she sees Zellers look, "but a brother and sister," Annabeth explains and Zeller sighs.

"Annabeth-" she's about to say more but the bell rings and we're back to work.

"Annabeth, show us the rest of the list on the roof," I tell her quietly and she nods.

"Ladies hurry up, you'd be dead by now in the arena," Atala barks at us and I spring up and head over to the archery area, my skills need brushing up as it's been so long since I spent time hunting with the Hunters of Artemis.

* * *

**ANNABETH CHASES POV**

**TRAINING CENTER**

I head over to Cashmere and Glimmer at the knife station, I need to assess their skill level. I pick up a spear and throw it half-heartedly, it sticks on the outer ring of the bullseye and Cashmere raises her eyebrows.

"Impressive for someone from 7," she says and looks me up and down.

"Throwing axes isn't all that different," I say nonchalantly. Glimmer rolls her eyes but Cashmere strolls over to me.

"Tell you what, prove yourself a little something more and maybe Brutus and Cato can squeeze you in, we have allot of applicants you know, and of course you need the rest of our approval," Cashmere says before popping her gum and walking off to the next station. Glimmer glares at me but I roll my eyes, I've been running from monsters since I could talk, I could kill something with a spork. I grab one of the weights and start lifting, allot of the tributes are just gorging themselves to put on weight, but muscle is denser, takes longer to break down and is a key component when it comes to fighting other tributes, which brings another question to mind. Who's going to win? I don't want to die in these sadistic Games, and by the sound of it, Chiron told us to protect Peeta and Katniss at all costs, maybe he wants us to let them win. But that means death. And Chrion would never do that to us.

Before I know it Atala blows the whistle to signal the end of training and we all crowd into elevators. I'm careful to choose one away from the Careers.

* * *

**REBECCA LANGSTONS POV**

**ROOFTOP GARDEN**

I know someone will probably catch us up here, being a demigod gives you the worst of luck, but we're here on District 12's floor anyway. Haymitch is probably too drunk to notice and Katniss and Peeta are curled up on the couch watching TV. When I turned on the TV all I got was propaganda that looked like it walked out of the 1940's so I shut it off, although District 13 was rather intriguing, mainly because the reporter was lying through her teeth. I climb up and Annabeth and Percy are arguing, again. Some other girl is standing next to Thalia, talking lowly as to not disturb Percy and Annabeth when I punch them both in the arm.

"Gods where did you learn to punch so hard?" Percy asks as he rubs his arm.

"Some kid down the street was taking Krav Maga so he taught me his skills, plus they had classes near the synagogue, my foster parents thought a seven year old should know how to defend herself," I say and he gives me a quizzical look.

"And how long were you running across the country?" he asks again.

"Three years," I say blandly.

"And you took Krav Maga for three years, ran across the country for another three, and only just arrived at camp?" he asks, Thalia clears her throat, the other girl is starting to listen.

"Point is I could kick your ass six ways to Sunday," I say and he raises his hands in defense.

"No fighting in training," the new girl says in a flawless Capitol accent we all think we've been caught, then laugh.

"Zeller don't do that again!" Annabeth exclaims.

"It's my talent," Zeller brags and then looks at me. "Who're you?" she asks.

"I could ask you the same question," I say, is this another demigod?

"This is Rose Zeller, but only call her Zeller," Percy hurries to add as Zellers eyes flash at the mention of her birth name.

"Annabeth, about that list," I say and she pulls it out.

_**District 6**_

**Viktoria 13**

**Veronika 15**

**Viktor 17**

"These are all children of former victors, so they're probably trained," Zeller tells us and Annabeth marks it in.

**Romero 14**

_**District 7**_

**Zoe Artega 15**

**Brian 16**

**Clayton 12**

"Anything about them Annabeth?" Thalia asks. Annabeth shakes her head, a sad look on her face.

"I want Clay in the alliance," she announces and we all turn to look at her. "What? Percy is the Career infiltrator, the four of us can be on our own," she says. Zeller shakes her head.

"Annabeth, this is the Hunger Games, it's better he gets killed by someone else than it being down to the final eight and then having to kill him after you know him," Zeller explains but Annabeth glares at her.

"He's on our team!"

"It'll make it harder on you!"

"No it won't!"

"I thought we were discussing _threats,_" Percy hissed and Annabeth gave Zeller one last glare before going on.

_**District 8**_

**Twill 13**

**Bonnie 17**

**Batik 14**

**Striae 15**

"Anything about them?" I ask and everyone shakes their heads.

**_District 9_**

**Amaranth 14**

**Zizania 15**

**Bulgur 16**

**Einkorn 14**

"They had their footage cut short right?" Percy asks and Annabeth nods.

"I bet they protested at the Reaping," Zeller says so nonchalantly that we all turn to stare at her. "What? You haven't heard the rumors?" she asks incredulously. Our blank expressions must be enough because she launches into detail. "Allot of districts hate the Capitol so there have been protests in the Outer Districts, even a few in 4, you were there Percy," she says and looks at us. "As far as I know there were confirmed ones in 3, 7, 10, and 11. And I heard that 9 got pretty rough for wheat growers."

"Moving on," says Thalia, but she's just as intrigued.

_**District 10**_

**Mika 12**

**Derek 18**

**Milos 17**

"Rebecca?" Percy asks and I shiver, remembering the two.

"I want Mika, she's really clever," I lie, I have no idea what she's good at, "Derek and Milos are dangerous though," I say, thinking of how Derek 'accidentally' hit me with his plate. Whatever's wrong with him, I can't afford to find out.

_**District 11**_

**Rue 12**

**Seeder 18**

**Thresh 18**

**Chaff 18**

"Thresh and Chaff are pretty buff, Seeder I would watch but Rue," Zeller says and we all fall silent, realizing the poor girls fate.

_**District 12**_

**Katniss 16**

**Madge 16**

**Gale 18**

**Peeta 16**

"Why do the outer districts get older ones?" Thalia asks and we look at Zeller for an answer.

"Ask someone who's job it is to know that," she says and we roll our eyes.

"So we don't know what the arena is, how will we meet?" I ask.

"I think we should run in the direction of the sun for about two miles, then meet up, and my mentor says stay away from the Cornucopia," I say and Annabeth nods.

"I'll recruit Clay, Rebecca get Mika on our side. Remember, no Careers except Percy and tell me if you want any allies," Annabeth instructs us. "Now get some sleep, we'll need it," she waves us off and we sprint for the elevators.


	6. Auditions, Not For The School Play

**I'm letting on District 12 in the next chapter!**

**PERCY JACKSONS POV**

**TRAINING CENTER**

* * *

Gods what will I do? Throw spears? Fight with a sword? Sing? No that'll get me a 1. I sigh and lean my head on the wall. The girl from District 3, Volts, has gone in and I'm next, Rodger will go after me, then Nerissa, then Zeller. Thalia is jawing off with Riken and Acuvim about how they should electrocute the main power grid, but they're still laughing so she hasn't really planned an attack, yet. Annabeth is standing in a quarter, moving her lips and tracing the lines of the building with her eyes. Rebecca is just watching everyone, reading body language or something. She notices me watching her and sits down next to me.

"Who do you think my parent is?" she asks and I look at her, surprised. She never really let on that this bothered her.

"Rebecca I hardly think this is the time-" I start but she cuts me off.

"No, I want to know, in camp they have that huge statue of fallen demigods," she says, "and they always add 'Son of ...' 'Daughter of ...' and if I die here, I want to know what it says," she finishes.

"Rebecca your're not going to die here!" I reassure her. She looks at me dead in the eyes.

"So you're saying you would let me win over Annabeth? Besides Chiron said we have to protect 12! Annabeth put in a request to Haymitch but Peeta rejected it and Katniss has ignored it," she tells me.

"I, I don't know," I say.

"I don't care about the Games right now, I'm fourteen and I want to know who my parent is!" she says with finality.

"Well what are some of your special abilities?" I ask and she sighs.

"I'm in better shape than anyone I know, I once froze a spitball headed my way, one time we were at the Alamo and I could see the fighting itself, only it was more of like shadows and kind of blurry, it was really weird," she said and I frowned.

"I've never heard of a Greek demigod having those powers Rebecca, are you sure you're Greek?" I ask and she nods.

"Sure I'm half Jewish but-" she starts but the speaker asks for me to come in and I groan.

"Here goes nothing," I say and enter the room. It's really not too disturbed, some of the dummies have been changed, the Careers probably diced them, I take the center and they watch me intently. I pick up a sword and start fighting a trainer with it, I beat them and the Gamemakers applaud. I show off some of my trident and hand to hand skills before I am dismissed. I walk out to the elevator and Nerissa winks at me as she passes by. I hurry to the elevator and sink to the floor. Gods what will I do? Annabeth and I can't win if we're to protect 12, and that means death! And what's so spectacular about them they need saving? Demigods save the world, and these two are total mortals.

* * *

**THALIAS POV**

**TRAINING CENTER**

* * *

Ember walks out and looks fairly confident, this should be a piece of cake. I was left in silence as Riken and Acuvim went ahead but it was good, I had prep time. Being a Hunter of Artemis gives you all kinds of crazy training. I threw spears, shot arrows and swung swords, I think they were getting a little tired though because one of them grabbed a glass of wine.

* * *

**ANNABETH CHASES POV**

* * *

I've been trying to figure out how Rebecca sent us back in time and why Chiron sent us back. He said Kronos would win if we failed to protect 12, but why? Why are we here?

* * *

**REBECCA LANGSTONS POV**

* * *

Gods I hate Gamemakers, half of them were drunk and couldn't spare me a minute of their time! Hello I'm about to go into an arena and _die, _could you give me sixty damn seconds? After entertaining these thoughts and doing my best, I eventually just walked out and headed up the elevator. Gods I want out of Panem. I was stewing in the elevator when I saw a tribute next to me. She's fifteen, sixteen maybe, her hair is plaited down the side and it's pitch black, her eyes are darker than midnight and she's paler than the moon. She stands there and looks at the doors, like someones walking in. She frowns and I open my mouth to talk but then she speaks.

"Sorry, I couldn't..." the rest is garbled, her voice is like it's coming through a worn-out ham radio. Then I realize her image is flickering. The elevator freezes and I turn to see Quinoa, I look back to the girl and she's gone. Disconcerted I walk onto my floor.

"Where's Mika?" she asks and I shrug.

"Probably still auditioning," I say and she rolls her eyes, then walks off.


	7. Results

**Sorry I haven't updated in a while, I wanted to finish up this one story I've been writing for a while. And sorry I have to postpone 12 until the Games. Most of this stuff is kind of going by the book. I was going to update on the 6th but the site wouldn't let me access the Manage Stories, and then today I just got access to this story in particular, some of my other ones are 'frozen'.  
**

* * *

**PERCY JACKSONS POV**

**TRAINING CENTER FLOOR 4**

* * *

Nerissa has been giving me the cold shoulder. Normally I wouldn't care but now she's been hanging out with this sociopath Derek from Rebeccas district. They've been grouping since training began, but she still flirted with me. My bet is they teamed up. So far I'm trying to figure out how District 12 _and _our group are going to stay alive. Because honestly, if it came down to that Katniss or Annabeth dying in the Games, I'd throw Katniss on the mutts myself. My mentor knocks on the door and tells me to come to the common room. I sigh and roll myself off the bed. More quality time with Nerissa, just what couples need. I arrive just in time for District Ones scores.

**District 1**

**Cashmere 9  
**

**Glimmer 8  
**

**Gloss 9  
**

**Marvel 10  
**

My mentor tells me to not be too impressed by their scores, intelligence isn't really measured.

_**District 2**_

**Clove 10  
**

**Enobaria 9  
**

**Cato 8  
**

**Brutus 7  
**

Finnick tries to reassure me, but I feel uneasy.

_**District 3**_

**Wiress 5**

**Volts 4  
**

**Nuts 6  
**

**Beetee 6  
**

That last one was a bit of an anomaly.

_**District 4**_

**Nerissa 7  
**

**Rose 6**

**Rodger 5**

I hold my breath as they announce my score. "And Percy Jacksons score is...8!" Caesar Flickerman exclaims. I can't breath, it's so high! Nerissa just glares at me, I beat her by a point. But Rose, who got a six, just winks at me, some coy grin on her face before flickering back to the TV.

* * *

**THALIA GRACES POV**

**LEVEL 5 OF THE TRAINING CENTER**

* * *

My district is up got a five and sulked off to her room, but I sit glued to the TV. My face appears on the screen. The number flashes underneath, 9. I scream and jump up, so excited I knock over a tray. An Avox comes to pick it up but I barely notice a thing. Riken and Acuvim are silent, I glance at the screen, their scores weren't too good. My mentor cuts me a look and I sit back down, recording the other tributes scores.

_**District 6**_

**Viktoria 7  
**

**Veronika 6  
**

**Viktor 8  
**

**Romero 9  
**

I hear my mentor sigh at the four children of the victors. I can't believe the Gamemakers would do this, even for a Quarter Quell this mad. Or so people tell me.

* * *

**ANNABETH CHASES POV**

**LEVEL 7 OF THE TRAINING CENTER**

* * *

I see my name flash on the screen, the score is a 3. Okay so maybe completely bombing my tryouts like Johanna suggested wasn't the best at me. I'm not a little girl who can say she misses home, and people know her playbook. But Johanna insists on saying I just never got training, I'm scared and miss home. Stick to that theme and people will forget you, especially the tributes. And that's the most important. Clayton got a terrible score, Brian is rather impressed with his 7 and struts off to his room. I stay behind to see the four from 8's scores.

_**District 8**_

**Twill 3  
**

**Bonnie 5  
**

**Batik 4  
**

**Striae 6  
**

"Watch out for Striae," I say before I can stop myself, "he's good with knots and things."

_**District 9**_

**Amaranth 2  
**

**Zizania 3  
**

**Bulgur 4  
**

**Einkorn 2  
**

I frown. That's low even for someone who just received training. If Zeller is right and District 9 is rebelling, or has aliens, the Capitol might be trying to get as many of them killed, on television to rub it in. I don't know, guessing motives is easy in the mortal and godly world, but not an apocalyptic one.

* * *

**REBECCA LANGSTONS POV**

**LEVEL 10 OF THE TRAINING CENTER**

* * *

I see Einkorns score flash on the screen, then Mika's. She's done surprisingly well for her size, a 6 is no small feat. Then I realize I got a 10. A ten. Mika lowers her head and Milos and Derek shoot me the look of death. I hug Mika and she smiles.

"Still a team?" she asks softly.

"Of course," I tell her. Screw 12, them and their silent teammates. I can save one kid, even if Chiron doesn't want me to. I'm not letting Mika die. Not like Aaron.

* * *

**KATNISS EVERDEENS POV**

**FLOOR 12 OF THE TRAINING CENTER**

* * *

"Gale stop!" I say. He's let Peeta get to his head again.

"No Katniss, he's already doing it!" he says.

"Gale, listen to her!" Madge snaps. She's finally strung a sentence together. Gale sits down and looks at me expectantly.

"Alright," I say, surprised it got this far. "We run one mile with the sun to our backs. No way Peeta can track us," I say without conviction. I intend to have Peeta join us, I owe him that much.

"No Katniss, he's in it with the Careers-" Gale says again when Haymitch opens the door.

"Scoresssss," he slurs before stumbling back into the common room. Madge shrugs and follows him. We watch the forty-six tributes before us and then Madge's face appears.

"Peeta Mellark," Caesars voice rings through the dead silent room, "score of 8." Peeta scowls and walks off to his room.

"Gale Hawthorne," Claudius says, alternating with Caesar, "score of 10." Gale lets the faintest trace of a smile play on his space before looking at Madge.

"Madge Dawson," Caesar announces, "score of 5." Madge frowns and Gale sits next to her, to comfort her.

"Katniss Everdeen," Claudius says, then frowns, squinting at something off-screen. "Well I'll be," he says, drawing in Madge and Gales attention. "Katniss Everdeen has the score of 11!"

* * *

**Please review!  
**


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